Practically Perfect - Katie Fforde

Advantages: light and easy reading
Disadvantages: none

Katie Fforde is one of my favourite contemporary authors particularly when I am looking for a slightly lighter read. I have just finished reading 'Practically Perfect' and although, for some reason, I found it a bit difficult to get in to, by the end I was thoroughly enjoying the story! The book tells the story of Anna, a newly qualified interior designer, who is trying to prove herself by doing up a small cottage in the Cotswolds. This is not without ...
...subject to all sorts of rules and regulations! Along the way, Anna is befriended by Chloe, her friendly neighbour, and her brood of noisy boys. She is also persuaded to take on ownership of Caroline, a former racing greyhound in need of a good home! There is love interest in the form of Max, for whom she has held a candle for years, but also Rob, who is definitely much more comfortable and easy to be around. When reading this book, it feels like ... Read review

Advantages: Er...
Disadvantages: Boring, boring

...Perfect light reading. Practically Perfect is the story of Chloe who buys herself a delightful cottage at a knock-down price somewhere just outside London. Luckily, she is an interior designer and aims to do most of the renovations required, sell the cottage and move on. The story revolves around her attempts at these renovations; run-ins with the local council regarding building regulations and the adoption of a retired greyhound. It was a story ...
...mine and I put aside Practically Perfect to read something with a bit of oomph. Weeks went by and further books were picked up and finished by me but PP lay there forlorn and unread. One more time? Okay….. here we go. Five minutes later: nope, no good, I could feel great waves of apathy coming over me. At my age, life is far too short to waste time on piffle so I popped the book on Amazon – where it was duly snaffled up by a Katie Fford fan who, ... Read review

Advantages: it's a nice light read
Disadvantages: the story is not always believable

I have read a number of books by Katie Fforde and enjoyed them all so I was looking forward to this one. They are all very easy to read, high brow fiction this is not! This book is the story of Anna who has bought a dilapidated cottage in the Cotswolds which she intends to renovate to sell. The previous owners of the cottage had started renovations and given up so when the book starts the cottage has no floors downstairs, no staircase, no bathroom ...
...no furniture either, so she sleeps in a sleeping bag. She is landed with a rescue greyhound by her neighbour Chloe, who is involved with the local Greyhound Rescue organisation. Anna's sister receives an e mail from Anna's college inviting Anna to a reunion where she meets up with Max again. CHARACTERS ANNA is the main character. She is a 20 something and has bought the cottage using the proceeds of the sale of a flat in Spittalfields which she ... Read review

Advantages: Good story line
Disadvantages: Predictable ending

This is the story of Anna, a newly qualified interior designer who buys herself a tiny run down cottage in the country. The challenges Anna faces in what started of being a relativly simple task brings humour to the story however it has all the classic elements of a romance novel. The ups and downs that Anna faces through out makes a great story line, however I would say the ending is quite predictable. Overall this is a good book, a great summer ... Read review